Former Dynamo Kyiv striker Victor Leonenko shared his expectations for today’s World Cup 2026 qualifying match between France and Ukraine.
— Victor Yevhenovych, what do you expect from the France vs. Ukraine match?
— Of course, we hope that Ukraine will gain some points in this match. But even if we lose, the most crucial game will be against Iceland. It is with them that we will compete for the second place. Even if we beat France, nothing will be decided. That’s what’s most unpleasant. Ukraine has been winning recent matches by chance, playing well only in one half.
— The bookmakers see France as a big favorite. The odds for Ukraine’s victory are 15:93.
— Of course, the French have a better chance. Firstly, they are playing at home, and secondly, even their substitutes are stronger than our main squad. Some French fans are more interesting than our footballers.
— Don’t you think that Rebrov might field a semi-strong line-up against France and rest the leaders considering the match with Iceland in three days?
— Anything is possible, which is why I never make predictions. I don’t like it when some experts question Rebrov: 'Why didn’t you call this one or that one?'. Everyone imagines themselves as experts. I want to remind them — Rebrov, the players, the referees, the opponents, none of them knows what will happen on the field.
It’s good that we don’t know who will play in the line-up. If previously you could accurately name the starting 11 players, it’s not like that now.
— Whom should we be wary of in the French team?
— Everyone without exception. I suggest our players not to listen to Deschamps, who said he didn’t want to play on the 13th and mentioned that Ukraine is a strong opponent.
— What does the Ukrainian national team need to do to beat France?
— We need a lot of luck because we don’t have a game, and if there is, it’s only for a half. There is always a mixed feeling. Even when we win, there’s a lingering sense of unease.
Moreover, Rebrov needs to get the line-up right. Before the game, the main coach always asks the players who is ready, and everyone answers they are, but after the match, they start whining that they weren’t prepared.
— Let’s talk a bit about the squad. Due to injuries, the team has lost Zinchenko, Dovbyk, and Brazhko. Is this a significant loss for our team?
— The main loss is Dovbyk, not Brazhko or Zinchenko. Brazhko doesn’t always get into the starting line-up for Dynamo or the national team. As for Zinchenko, I’ve never seen him make sprints. If someone has, then let them show me. So these are not losses.
— The Ukrainian team now has only two forwards left on the roster: Vanat and Yaremchuk. Who do you expect to see at the forefront of the attack against France?
— Vanat seems to be healthy, but nothing is working for him at Girona, judging by his low ratings. As for Yaremchuk, it’s unclear, as he hardly plays for Olympiacos. Both are unstable. Most likely, Vanat will start against France because La Liga is still stronger than the Greek championship.
— Why doesn’t Rebrov give a chance to forwards from the UPL, like Budkivsky from Zorya or Haiduchyk from Polissya, who lead the scorers' race?
— It’s all clear here, I know Rebrov well. He doesn’t take Budkivsky and Haiduchyk because he well understands the level of our championship. No matter how much you score in the UPL, it doesn’t mean anything.
— Were you surprised that Rebrov called up Volynets from Polissya but left Lunin from Real out of the roster?
— Nothing surprises me; Rebrov is responsible for the result, and there’s no need to tell him what to do. Additionally, Rebrov himself said that those who don’t play won’t be called up to the national team. What sense is there in calling Lunin if he won’t play? Alonso also doesn’t particularly count on him and is dissatisfied with him at Real. Xabi is a good coach, but as it turned out, Real is not his team. At Bayer, he was unbeatable, but he came to Real, and everything changed.
Thank God, there are no problems with goalkeepers in the Ukrainian national team, especially since we all know that Trubin will be in goal.
— Do you see a player in the Ukrainian national team who can decide the outcome of the match on their own?
— Of course, I don’t see one. There’s only hope for a 'plukha' from Malinovskyi. That’s the only thing possible. But players who execute, dribble, and take the game upon themselves, we don’t have those.
— What’s your prediction for the match? What’s your gut feeling?
— I’ll be happy with a draw; I hope we can grab some points. A victory might create problems for Rebrov because then the players will approach Iceland with crowns and sabers on white horses. The main match won’t be on Thursday but on Sunday.
I’m looking at the level of play; for me, that’s the main thing. With the game we have now, I don’t even know what we would do at the World Cup if we get there. Sometimes you don’t even want to watch our national team’s matches because there’s nothing besides everyone standing behind the ball line.
Andriy Piskun